


Paper Hearts

by TheDorkSideOfTheMoon



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Agoraphobia, Angst, Anxiety, Denial of Feelings, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Panic Attacks, Self-Denial
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-09-15 21:37:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9258281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDorkSideOfTheMoon/pseuds/TheDorkSideOfTheMoon
Summary: Aomine and Kagami had something going on until Aomine suddenly disappears. Kagami's life takes a turn for the worst and Aomine comes back to pick up the pieces





	1. Chapter 1

The day started like any other. The sky was blue, the grass was green, the birds where chirping around the trees outside and Kagami was jolting out of another nightmare plagued sleep. Frantically scooting back on the bed, sweaty back resting against the cool headboard of the bed, Kagami tries to regain his composure. He knows the drill. Breathe in twice breathe out once, breathe in again, chest full of air, slowly release. Rinse and repeat. Over and over for the next five minutes before his thumping heart calms down enough for him to be able to freely move. 

As soon has he deems himself calm enough he throws the covers to the bottom of the bed and swings his legs over to the ground. Resting his elbows on his knees he sighs. 

“Still not fine today” Kagami muses while getting up. Going down the stairs to the kitchen, he wonders why he thought today would be any different from all the other days. Why today, on a rather ordinary Sunday morning, Kagami would suddenly be cured of all that’s been plaguing him for the past 3 years. 

Before he could dig in deeper in his musings, a loud noise startles him. Having already reached the kitchen the noise had almost made Kagami spill the milk he was pouring on his cereal. He curiously peeks out from behind the soft white curtains, always aware of keeping himself hidden when he suddenly gasps. His hands start shaking, his knees feel weak and his breathing suddenly picks up. He quickly lowers himself to the floor. More like he falls right where he’s standing but nobody’s watching so who cares really.

Daiki is outside. Aomine Daiki is outside. I repeat the Aomine Daiki is just outside his window. Kagami feels like he’s going to die. He’s not supposed to be here. Considered he hasn’t seen the guy in over three years he’s not supposed to be in the country much less here in the neighborhood. In front of his house. Ok, more like in front of his own house but considering Aomine and Kagami have been next-door neighbors since the age of ten it’s practically the same thing.

A grunt and a murmured curse snap Kagami out of his daydreams. Slowly creeping upwards Kagami peaks out. Aomine is currently unloading several bags from what seems to be a very old ford mustang. For a guy who left home with just a backpack he sure has a hell of a lot of stuff. As soon has he sees the very heavy looking pink suitcase Kagami remembers Satsuki, Aomine’s twin sister. Those two have been terrorizing Kagami’s life ever since they moved here. 

Kagami remembers it like it was yesterday. It was a nice Sunday morning; just like this one and he had been outside playing basketball with Alex when suddenly a big van pulls up. From his spot in the driveway Kagami can see an older woman slowly climbing out of the van. She reaches up and helps two kids out from it. The girl is short and cute, all pink hair and large pink eyes. She looks like a human version of the pokemon Kagami likes so much. But it’s the boy who intrigues him. He’s around Kagami’s height and probably around his age but he’s all dark chocolate skin. The eyes, midnight blue like his hair, are piercing when he looks around scanning the area. Any interest Kagami might have had went away very quickly has he saw the scowl the other boy was sporting. 

“Probably just another rich kid who’s been shipped off to the boonies by his uncaring parents” Kagami huffs, turning his back on the moving family and resuming his game. Alex had gone to help the new comers so Kagami just resigned himself to simply dribbling around and shooting hoops. Suddenly he hears a voice call from behind him.

“You suck at it”

Kagami turns around to see the other boy standing on the grass that separates their two houses. Arms crossed over his chest and face scowling at the air, Kagami wounders if the boy was really talking to him or not.

“Im sorry?”

“I said you suck at it. Dribbling”

“And I suppose you can do better?” Kagami hooks the ball under his arm and scowls back at the boy in front of him

“Hell yeah I can” Finally looking in Kagami’s direction the boy shoots him a smirk

“They prove it!”

Throwing the shirt he was wearing around his waist to the ground Aomine quickly makes way to Kagami.

“First to 15 wins!” he proudly says

“You think you’re gonna get that far?”

“Just hope I don’t mop the flower with you, red”

“Bring it on”

It takes two more hours until they finally call it quits and just collapse on to the grass in a heap of sweaty limbs. 

“Ouch get away from me you asshole” Aomine grunts

“This is my house and my lawn. And may I remind you that you were the one who fell on me”

“Humpf”

“Im Kagami. Kagami Taiga” The redhead turns his head to the right inspecting the boy sprawled across from him

“Daiki. Aomine Daiki” the bluenette says not bothering to even look in Kagami’s direction. “Was that lady your mom? She’s hot”

That promply earns Aomine a punch in the shoulder

“That’s Alex, and she’s my sister. Well, not really but yeah” 

Noticing Kagami’s strange tone of voice all of a sudden, Aomine finally decides to look at the other boy. They have just met but Aomine can’t really shake this feeling like he can trust him. Like a tingling in his stomach that tells him that talking is okay, making him voice his feelings out loud.

“That’s not my real grandma either. Our parents, mine and Satsuki’s, that’s my sister” Kagami just hums in acknowledgement “they left. One day we came home from school and there was nobody in the house anymore. We called and looked around but nothing. We waited for weeks and still nothing. Our front door neighbor ended up taking us in. She’s pretty nice though”.

“My parents left too. They said it’d be just for a little while and they’d come back and while they didn’t, Alex would take care of me” Kagami says in a tiny tiny voice

“How long has it been?”

“4 years”

“3 for us. Guess you win” 

Kagami looks at Aomine not really sure if he’s supposed to be offended at that remark but the expression on the other boys face is a perfect mirror of his own. He decides to laugh it off.

“I guess I do. What’s my prize?”

“I wont beat you at basketball for a week. Okay, I wont beat you too hard” Now full out laughing Aomine starts to get up

A call for the two boy’s names comes from Aomine’s house, his grandma inviting them in for some snacks. 

They developed a very close friendship. They ended up going to the same school, participating in the same basketball club and hanging out in each other’s houses. With Kuroko, a quiet boy from Kagami’s class and his best friend, and Satsuki in tow the four of them would wreak havoc around the small quiet neighborhood. Everyday was a new adventure for the lot of them. The tree between the two houses became their passageway, hopping from one room to another like the world belonged to them. 

That bliss lasted a mere three years.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Aomines are back and with that comes a whole barrage of feelings for Kagami

“Satsuki for fucks sake carry your own shit!”  
Oh right he was supposed to be watching Aomine. Apparently the years have not passed by him at all. He’s still exactly the same has he was when they left but this time much taller and muscly. If Kagami were the salivating type he’d be doing it right now.

He watched as Satsuki slowly came out of the house, whining all the way to the car about not wanting to carry heavy things. In the place of what used to be his small and skittish neighbor, a small pink ball of fluff is now a beautiful and vibrant young woman. Still smaller than both of then, probably still much smaller than Kuroko himself, and that was a stretch considering how impish the boy is, she had filled out beautifully, what used to be a mass of unruly pink hair now a beautiful cascade of locks all the way to her waist. 

If only he had liked her...

A glance towards his window and Kagami snaps out of it all. He runs all the way up to his room and locks the door shut. He knows better than this. He knew better… shit. He shouldn’t have been spying around, especially not at the object of his affections.

That made him laugh slightly. Picking up a book from his massive pile, Kagami settles on his bed and promptly forgets the world.

It seems that the years have made him skittish. Kagami blinks heavily trying to dispel some of the sleep that’s still clinging to his eyes, when another sound is heard. Cautiously looking around, Kagami glances at the clock on his nightstand. 2:30am. Definitely not a time to be awake. The sound is weak but persistent. Starting to get slightly annoyed Kagami decides to get up. He regrettably plucks the now slightly crumpled book from under him and swings his legs over the edge of the bed. It cant possibly be Alex, he can still hear the sounds of the tv downstairs, signaling that she had once again fallen asleep watching some tv show. 

Kagami looks around curiously. Everything is in its place but the sound still continues. He looks in the direction of his window. A burglar? No, it can’t be. The area is quite peaceful and there have never been any reports of these types of disturbances before. Tanaka obaa-chan’s cat? But still, the old lady lives three doors down why the hell would the damn feline be in his tree? And then a thought struck him. The dreading feeling seeps in, the weight in his chest, the clammy hands, heart rate picking up. His breath is now shallow and he’s pacing the room frantically. 

Alex seems to notice all the noises coming from upstairs so she runs to his door, calling out his name trying to see if he’s okay. When no answer comes, she uses her key and unlocks the door to find Kagami hugging his knees, breath shallow, frantically trying to regain his composure. He hates to be causing her trouble yet again but while his mind is being plagued with thoughts of what if’s he can’t calm down. Not by himself. 

By the time Alex manages to get him to go to sleep almost an hour had passed. She looks around at what may have possibly been the trigger this time. The computer is turned off, like it has been for the passed year and half, the shelves still unadorned of all the prizes they used to carry and his curtains are still tightly closed. After one glance in Kagami’s direction she moves towards the window. 

“About time Bakagami! I’ve been knocking at your window for like the past 2 hours but you- Oh Alex. S’been a while, how ya doing gorgeous?” The familiar smirk creeps his way to the face of what the boy she used to know, much harder lines adorning his face now.

“You’ve been knocking at his window?”

“Yup. Wanted to catch up but he probably was asleep or some shit like that cause I got zilch” 

“Daiki I’d appreciate it if you didn’t do that again” Alex’s face hardens

“Huh? Why’s that?” Aomine is starting to get more and more confused. Why is she at the window and not Bakagami? Did something happen to him?

“I’d like you to leave Taiga alone, Daiki. Don’t come near him and don’t try to contact him”

“Hey Alex, I know I’ve been gone a while and probably okay it was shitty of me but that’s no reason for me to-“

“I gave you an order Daiki. My word’s final. Don’t come near my brother” Alex closes the window and shuts the blinds tightly.

“What the actual fuck?” Staring back at Kagami’s window Aomine couldn’t be more confused. 

He decided to let it slide for now. There wasn’t actually anything he could do since Alex had already gone and locked the window from what he could tell. Turning back Aomine slowly closed his own window. 

Turning back Aomine takes sight of his own room. The red walls, the basketball posters, the trophies, his massive collection of shoes. Everything was in its place. Messy, as usual but still there. Like he hadn’t left three years ago, picked up his backpack a cold Sunday morning with Satsuki trailing behind him.

Coming back was not what he thought it’d be. Satsuki was still whining about something or the other but Tetsu wasn’t there to high five him and Kagami wasn’t there to smile his brilliant smile at him. And only him. Of course he didn’t think this was going to be that easy. He supposed they’d have to “talk”. Maybe go to Maji’s after a game of street basket, catch up. But Tetsu wasn’t picking up his phone and Kagami wasn’t answering his door. Window? Wtv.

Still curiously inspecting the house, Aomine makes his way downstairs. He ears a hushed conversation and peers intriguingly towards the kitchen to see Satsuki on the phone. She’s speaking very low, Aomine barely being able to make out any words. Now cautiously descending, the conversation becomes more and more clear,

“I just don’t know what to do now… Yes but… I don’t want to make things worse for you…Please…Okay then; I’ll meet you Monday then. Mmm, bye” 

“So who are we meeting on Monday?” Now leaning back against the door jamb Aomine stares at his sister’s stiffened back

“Dai-chan! I told you to stop scaring me like that!” Satsuki said while turning around to face her brother

“You were the one sneaking around not me, Satsuki. But then again, who are we meeting?”

“I was talking to obaa-chan on the phone you dummy. She said she misses us and is going to come and visit as soon as she can” Aomine knows that’s not true. Obaa-chan has been staying at her sister’s house, having fallen down late last year. While they had wanted to come back and care for her obaa-chan said she’d be more than confortable in her sister’s care, so they had let it slide. It’s still a bit uncomfortable for her to walk around so there’s no way she’s coming to visit this soon

“Mmmhmm” Aomine lets it go with a sound of dismissal. It’s easier if he just lets go of the subject. He’ll figure it out anyways come monday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The angst truly begins. What will Aomine find out on monday??
> 
> Stay tuned~


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aomine thought being sneaky paid off. Now did it or did it not?

Come Monday, Aomine is more than ready to get this school thing over and done with. He’s only been in this goddamned educational building for a few hours and he’s already skipped two classes. Like who cares about math and literature? Somebody please tell him how finding the root of x or knowing about the latest Murasaki novel is going to help him in his daily life. 

Tossing and turning around in his spot on the rooftop Aomine broods. He didn’t see Kagami. He didn’t see Tetsu either but the guy is slinky so that doesn’t surprise him at all. He saw Satsuki bolt in the opposite direction of their classroom but he didn’t understand why. 

He kinda hoped either Kagami or Tetsu were in his class but nope. As boring as introductions may be it allowed him to scan the room. He was hoping for a few known faces but mostly ust a sea of new people. No Kagami or Tetsu in sight. 

He convinces himself that that’s why he skipped. Because school is no fun without his best friends and not because he’s a lazy ass that can't be bothered. Stretching back on the concrete ready to spend there the rest of his day Aomine promptly falls asleep, worries forgotten if just for a few hours.

 

He wakes up with the last bell ringing. His body is sore and stiff from having slept there. A glance towards his phone says it’s just a bit passed 5pm. Still enough time to grab a bite to eat and play some street ball. He just needs to get Satsuki and they’re good to go. 

Satsuki! Monday, shit he completely forgot he had to tail her. Getting up frantically Aomine grabs his bag and jumps from his high platform to the smooth concrete floor of the main roof. He runs towards the stairs skipping them by twos. Their classroom is already emptying out but no Satsuki in sight. He decides to make a run for the shoe lockers. Maybe he can still catch her there. 

Jumping down the stairs, sweat running down his temple he barely catches a glance of her leaving the school entrance. She's laughing, her hair down and her voice light but Aomine can see something’s not right. Her smile seems forced, her steps carefully measured. One look at her neck and…there it is. The necklace twirling. Ever since she got that stupid thing she took up the habit of twisting and pulling it when she's nervous. How many years has it been already?

Laying back, Aomine follows. She parts way with her friends a few minutes after leaving the school. Aomine can see her looking around nervously, hand clenching and unclenching her bag strap rhythmically. She walks a few more minutes, going through alleyways and places Aomine sure has hell will rag her about it later. Finally they reach…Maji? Seriously? They practically contoured the city to go to Maji’s two streets down from their house? What the heck Satsuki. Stomping forward almost calling out to her, he nearly misses it. 

“Uncanny resemblances they have don’t you think Satsuki?” Sitting down on the booth next to his sister, Aomine looks at the two “S’been a while don’t ya think Tetsu?” Aomine says not wasting a beat “S’mbody care to tell me why my best friend and my sister are sneaking around?”

“Nobody is sneaking around Aomine-kun, don’t be crass” Kuroko says while casually sipping from his vanilla shake

“Oh really?” Looking smug, Aomine leaned back “Then why wasn’t I invited to this little get together?”

“Did it ever occur to you that I might not want to see you Aomine-kun?” Kuroko says looking his friend straight in the eye 

That pegs Aomine down a notch. He actually, in all honesty, hadn’t thought of that “Awww c’mon Tetsu, don’t be that way. S’been three years man you could’ve forgiven me by now… “Aomine trails off quickly after that.

He’s starting to feel a bit anxious now, like he missed a step. He knew it wouldn’t be easy but this is Tetsu we’re talking about here. His quiet and serious friend. The blue haired misdirecting little nerd who no matter how much Aomine messed up would always be there for him. 

“Dai-chan…” He turns towards his sister. The nerves he saw in her eyes when he entered the restaurant are now replaced by pure compassion. It hurts so much he can’t help but look away “Dai-chan” she insists “I told Tetsu-kun to meet today with me only because I wasn’t sure of how they’d feel about us being back. I needed to apologize first before I could try to help you mend your relationships”

“I don’t need help! I’m fine. We’re fine! Aren’t we Tetsu?” he sends his friend a pleading look. For what he was pleading he was so not sure himself

“Are we Aomine-kun? As I remember we were fine three years ago but apparently that was my mistake” 

“What do you want me to say Tetsu?! I’m real sorry okay? There you have it”

But instead of just accepting Aomine’s crappy excuse for an apology, Kuroko just grabs for his bag, motioning to leave Maji

“Hey wait- Tetsu wait! Where the hell are you going man?!” Aomine grabs Kuroko’s arm stopping him from leaving. By this time a few customers are now looking at him with a frown. If he doesn’t hurry up he’ll be accused of bulling a kid, Jesus.

“I’m leaving Aomine-kun. I didn’t come here to listen to excuses. Now if you’ll excuse me”

“Look Tetsu, can we talk? Like talk talk? I’m sorry, seriously” Aomine pleads to his friend. In all honesty he doesn’t think he’d ever been this nervous about anything in his life. If only he knew…

“Okay, Aomine-kun. Lets go to the court”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter update this time I'm sorry! Will try to post the other chapter soon! 
> 
> Stay tuned~~


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the help of friends broken hearts are beginning to mend

Seeing two of the men she loved the most reaching a compromise Satsuki breathed a heavy sigh of relief. She was almost convinced that Dai-chan would make a scene right then and there in the middle of the restaurant but fortunately it seems her brother also has a conscience.

She honestly has no idea what to think of all of this. Yes it’s true she betrayed her brother and met with Tetsu-kun in secret but that was also not her idea. She’d be content to wait. She’d be happy with the same text messages they’d been sharing for the past 3 years. She could live with that. She’s been living just from that.

Watching the pair exit Maji, is her cue to leave as well. They are stalling outside, that much she can see. Waiting for her as they always did. Getting up, school bag in hand, Satsuki heads to the door. They understand and start walking. It’s almost like a dream all of this.

She lingers back, letting them walk silently ahead of her. Though he is trying immensely not to show it, Dai-chan is stressed. Back stiff, shoulders straight, hands curled into fists and a crisp walk. Much like the 13-year-old boy who walked in front of her when they both left Tokyo, that fateful Sunday morning. But instead of walking with his head held high and mighty, much like before, Aomine was looking at his shoes.  
She took a step back. What? Shame? Nervousness? Dai-chan? Ohoh this might be actually very nice to see. Hopefully Tetsu-kun doesn’t let him off easy.

Reaching the park they take a seat at the swings. It’s late enough that no kids are around anymore but they still have a few more minutes before the sun sets. It’s the perfect time. Go Dai-chan don’t be scared, you can do this. 

“Start talking Aomine-kun” Kuroko says sternly  
Aomine visibly flinches at the words  
What the hell was he supposed to say? Like, I’m sorry I had to leave but I was jealous of the two of you? That I left because you guys where becoming so good that I thought I was being left behind? That as soon as I left I wanted to come back, to hear Satsuki laughing about something Tetsu deadpanned about and to be gently hugged by Kagami’s arms, wanting to stay there and be hugged but counting the seconds in my head so that it doesn’t seem too weird? That I’m an idiot but still wants my family back?

“Yes Aomine-kun that would be the general idea of things” 

Looking at Tetsu perched in the swing, he takes a step back. What did he just say all that out loud? OMG OMG OMG NO NO NO! He’s not supposed to sound so sissy cmon, Daiki man up

“It’s okay Aomine-kun I accept your apology”

“You what?!” Aomine practically squeaks

“Even though I don’t agree with what you did Aomine-kun, that was a dick move, I understand why you think you had to do it” Kuroko says calmly

How can he be calm though? Aomine is on fire. His blood is boiling, his muscles are tense and his cheeks must be as red as Kagami’s hair.

“But…I was gone three years Tetsu. I left you two here, in this freaking court, spewing all crazy shit. I hurt you Tetsu. Kagami fucking cried, don’t think I didn’t see that!” Aomine threads his hands through his hair

“Yes Aomine-kun, but you also were thirteen and very confused”

“Confused with what, Tetsu?! You were the best friends I’ve ever had. You understood me and didn’t take any of my crap but still I betrayed you two”

Aomine now starts pacing back and forth in front of the swings. His stomach is so heavy now he feels like he ate a bunch of rocks but now that he’s started this he cant stop. He has to say it all

“With how much you loved us Aomine-kun and how different it was”

That makes Aomine stop dead in his tracks. What? No no wait a second. What? His hands start shaking. Not wanting to give it away he forces out a laugh  
“Ahaha, Tetsu what’re talking about there? I like’ya a lot man but that’s it”

“Yes, that is it for the two of us, thank you very much. I wouldn’t like to date you Aomine-kun” Kuroko says without missing a beat

“What?! Dating?! Tetsu what the actual fuck I’m not gay” Aomine practically screams

Now was the time for Satsuki to laugh. He looks at his sister shell-shocked. She’s sitting on the bench beside them, bent over clutching her stomach as the laugher shocks her body in waves. Hearing a small snort he looks in the direction of his best friend. Kuroko is now walking towards him with a fond smile on his face.  
This must be the twilight zone. He not only has not heard Satsuki laugh like that nor has he seen that expression adorn Tetsu’s face in a long time. What the actual fuck? Are they mocking him? Seriously?

“Aomine-kun, before you left you were head over heels for Kagami-kun. And vice-versa. You two were just too dense to realize”

“What?!” He squeaks again. Goddamnit Daiki, man up! You sound like a girl

“You were in love with each other, Dai-chan” Satsuki’s voice streams out from the side “It was painfully obvious to everybody” 

“That’s also what we thought you were going to tell us when you told us to meet the day you left. We all thought you were going to confess”

“WHAT?! IM NOT GAY, IM NOT CONFESSING ANYTHING TO THAT BAKAGAMI!”

He screams. How did they…No its impossible. He’s not. No. But…No he isn’t.  
“Shit!”

He crouches on the floor and hides his face in his knees. He should’ve left. Ran away home and hide until he was calm enough to think of a mean retort to say, but his body hadn’t moved. Maybe his heart was tired of running away…  
“Dai-chan” “Aomine-kun” “Dai-chan” “Aomine-kun”

The voices are so close now, like they’re there on the ground with him. Suddenly he feels a pair of thin arms embrace him and is met with the fragrant smell of peaches. Satsuki. A hand closes itself on his shoulder, strong and warm. The appley smell of curl untangler shampoo. Tetsu  
“Let go of me you bastards” He croaks

“Never Dai-chan you’re ours”

“No matter of much of an idiot you are Aomine-kun, Satsuki-san is right. No matter how many times you screw up, I’ll always be here. Because I’m your friend. And honestly, you hadn’t noticed you were in love with Kagami-kun? Really how dense can you be Aomine-kun?”

“It’s not like that Tetsu you bastard” a growl “I knew okay- I- I always knew but its not like you can spring this on a dude and just be okay with it”

“Why not? I am” Kuroko sounded actually surprised, like what Aomine had just said was the stupidest thing ever

“Because it’s fucking weird okay! How can I come up to Kagami and tell him that the only reason why I keep pushing him to fight me is because I think his face is adorable when angry?! How can I tell him that I want to hold his fucking hand and probably k-ki-kiss him, omg” Aomine dies a little on the inside. Embarrassing fuckers

“Just like that Dai-chan. Exactly like that” Satsuki say’s in a calming voice

“And he’s supposed to accept me? Just like that?” He says defiantly

“Right now? No definitely not. But before? Yes, without a shadow of a doubt” Kuroko affirms

Right now, no? Han?  
“What’s that supposed to mean Tetsu?”

“Just like I said Aomine-kun. He would’ve definitely have accepted you” Kuroko is up now and going back towards the swings

“So why wouldn’t he accept me now? I know he might be angry but if I apologize maybe we can-“

“I think that’s going to be very difficult for now Dai-chan”

“What the fuck are you hiding from me?! Does it have anything to do with why he wasn’t in school today?! He’s not dead that much I know, I spoke with Alex” 

“You talked with Alex-san?” Kuroko actually sounds surprised

“Yeah, I knocked at Kagami’s window for a while but he didn’t open so I thought that okay he might still be pissed at me, but like it’s not like him not to come out and yell for as pissed as he is. So I gave up but when I got to my room Alex came to the window. She told me to piss off. I was confused but….like…it was my fault I know so I was giving him a couple more days before going again” Aomine shrugs

“He won’t come Aomine-kun” Kuroko says, a hint of a shadow crossing his face

“Tetsu you better spew this out you bastard, I know he’s not dead you’re scaring the hell out of me!” 

Aomine stomps forward and grabs his best friend buy the collars of his shirt. He’s never felt this angry before. He is not dead, okay. Kagami Taiga is not dead.  
“Dai-chan. Dai-chan let go” 

“No! You will tell me now Tetsu or so help me God…”

“What Aomine-kun, will you hit me? Is that it?”

“I think a good beating might be a bit overdue for you Tetsu do not test me”

“Oh just stop it you two! He has agoraphobia, Dai-chan”

“Just shut up Satsuk-wait what? He has what?” slowly letting go of Kuroko’s collar Aomine looks back at his sister

“Im so sorry Tetsu-kun but he has to know. He has to know or else he might even make things harder for Kagamin” 

“Can somebody just please explain it to me once and for all!”

“Just calm down Aomine-kun. Here sit. I’ll tell you”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "And I will try... to fix you"

And now Aomine wished he hadn’t heard a thing. Kuroko explains everything that happened after they left with doctor-like precision. The stares, the hate messages, the bullying. Haizaki. Beatings. Threats. Fear. The agoraphobia. The fact that bubbly bright Kagami Taiga has not left his house in a year and a half. 

Aomine feels like the world just fell right before his eyes. They blamed him. They blamed Kagami for Aomine leaving. They made him suffer for a mistake Aomine made. 

He’s gonna kill that Haizaki bastard. He’s dead.

He gets up with a start, fury racking through his bones. He needs to see him. He needs to know. He grabs his bags and makes a run for it

“Dai-chan!! Dai-chan where are you going?!” Satsuki yells after her brother, getting up quickly to try and catch him.

“Let him go Satsuki. He needs to do this” Kuroko hastily grabs her arm, turning her to him

“But what if he gets in trouble, Tetsu-kun? What if he gets hurt?” The concern his obvious in the pinkette’s voice

“Its their turn now Satsuki. They have to do this in order to move on” Kuroko takes her in his arms and breathes deep “We'll just have to be there for the aftermath”

He never ran this fast in his life. Up to this point at least, minus some hiccups, his life has been quite easy. He’s never had anything to worry. Okay, that’s mostly due to the fact that Satsuki and Kagami make sure he’s fed and Tetsu makes sure he doesn’t stay behind a year. But still, zero worries. However, now after hearing all that Tetsu had said happened he was furious. His blood felt like molten lava in his veins. He wanted to hit, rip, kill, and destroy. He wanted to go up to Haizaiki and break his fucking teeth. He wanted to murder him.

But more than that murderous need thrumming inside of him, what compelled him to move, what was making him weave through the crowd of pedestrians like a madman was worry. He was worried sick. His stomach was heavy, he was seating profusely and a bit more and he’d have no lower lip to kiss Kagami with, from the force he was biting it with. 

Why hadn’t Kagami told him? Why hadn’t he called and yelled? Why? Why? Why? Its all my fault….

Reaching the house, Aomine stops at the front porch. Hands on his knees to catch his breath he eyes the door and considers going in. He knows where the spare key is, at least where it was. He can just march right in, burst through Kagami’s room door and shake him alive. Yell all his frustrations at the other boy’s face. But Tetsu’s words kept ringing in his head: “He can barely leave his room, Aomine-kun” “He has panic attacks when something startles him” “He’ll go into shock barely breathing” “He can’t have people touch him”. That stops him from acting his normal self. He made this. Or at least he helped. He played an enormous part in hurting Kagami.  
So instead of making matters worse he just climbs the tree.

Meanwhile Kagami was having quite a peaceful day. He woke from a rather nasty nightmare but at least he was able to control himself enough that he didn’t have to start his day with a panic attack. He considers that a small victory. After fixing himself some lunch, he decided it was time for some spring-cleaning. It’s September already and the leaves are starting to change colors outside his window but technicalities be damned, spring-cleaning it is. 

Kagami was quite pleased with himself until he got to Alex’s room. Staring at the white wooden door in front of him Kagami muses to himself. Is it even worth it going in? He deep-cleaned the room not even two months ago but Alex was a professional at messing things up. 

Kagami opens the door and immediately regrets it. Clothes are strewn everywhere, occupying most of the features in the room. Her desk chair is completely invisible under a pile of what he hopes to God is not dirty laundry, her desk is littered with her papers, presents from her students and little knick knacks she collects from Maji Burger. Not even her bed has escaped, more clothes thrown all over it and bras hanging from the bedposts.

Nope, not his problem. Nopity nope. Godspeed Alex. So he turns to the opposite side of the hallway and goes in. His room, his safe haven, his whole world. The room is clean honestly. He always cleans when he’s stressed and since Aomine’s visit yesterday he’s been on edge. So he decided to just busy himself folding some laundry when a sharp cry of his name makes him drop the boxers he was folding. 

He knows this voice, omg, what is he doing here?! No please, not again, please I can’t take it, he thinks to himself. He’s already trembling, blood rushing through his body at crazy speeds, bile making it’s way up his throat while he rocks his body on the edge of his chair. He needs this to stop. He gets a hold of the elastic on his wrist, pulls and lets go forcibly. He keeps repeating that, over and over and over again until the affected area is red and lumpy from the abuse.

He considers fleeing. Just hide himself in the bathroom until the voices stops, until the tremors are nothing but the reverberations of his breathing. However, a sudden cry makes him stop. The yelling outside has stopped as well. Oh no. Please let Aomine not have gotten himself hurt. Please no, please no. He runs to his window, ready to throw the curtains open when-

“Don’t open it, Taiga”

Aomine’s voice is so close; he sounds like he’s practically inside the room. Kagami swallows around the lump in his throat.  
“I’m fine, just slipped. I’m not hurt”

Clumsy idiot, Kagami thinks to himself.

“Don’t open the curtains. Don’t even come near the window. C’mon Taiga, three steps back” Aomine calmly states

Kagami is so confused by this he complies. Who the hell is he, a step instructor? 

“You don’t need to talk to me just listen. Just listen for 5 minutes and I’ll go. You can even count the minutes if you’d like” he sounds almost pleading

Still not making a sound, Kagami stands there looking at the window, and what he can make out of Aomine’s form, through the white linen curtains.

“I don’t know if you’re listening but I sure as hell hope you are. I’m so, so, so, so sorry Taiga” 

What?! I’m sorry wait, just wait, what? The big bad Aomine Daiki is apologizing? And actually sounds sincere? Is this the end? Will the world explode? If not this has to be a sick joke then

“I talked with Tetsu today” oh? “Well, he talked to Satsuki and I kinda…like…showed up unannounced?” figures

“She was sneaking around last night and she even lied to me when I asked her, the nerve, that damned Satsuki” Kagami smiles fondly, that sounds very much like her “And then when I didn’t see you guys anywhere in school today I had to figure out why. So I followed her after school and caught them talking in Maji. We ended up at the court and talked. Or something like that…” Aomine was getting more and more discouraged while talking and Kagami didn’t want him to stop. Needing him to continue he made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat, just to let Aomine now that he was listening. That made the blue haired boy outside his window straighten up a little now that he was sure Kagami was listening. That made him smile softly “That doofus” he mumbles very quietly

“So I kinda like, apologized to Tetsu or whatever. Like it’s fine now….I hope….And he told me about you Taiga” 

Oh no, no no no no no, this was not happening. No, he- Kuroko is his best friend he wouldn’t betray him like that no that’s not- Kagami starts to slide to the floor dropping something that was on his desk along the way. He can’t, he can’t let him continue now. If he does every secret, every dream, every longing, every dirty ugly little piece of himself that he has kept hidden for a little over six years will be out in the open for the world to see. For Aomine to see. And Kagami’d rather die than allow that to happen.

“Kagami?! Kagami are you okay?! Oh God please don’t. Don’t have a panic attack baby I can’t bear it not being able to help you” the distress was obvious in the boys voice “And if Alex catches me here again I think she’ll murder me” he says lightly 

The words seem to startle Kagami out of his stupor. Baby? Excuse me what now? And what’s this all about Alex murdering him?? But still…baby?

“Tetsu didn’t tell me himself, I even had him by the throat and he refused to open his mouth, but Satsuki knew. I don’t know how Taiga but she knew and she told me. After that Tetsu explained. Everything was out in the open so he had no option but to tell me. I am so so sorry baby” Kagami was as calm as a lake now. For all his waffling around he needed to get to the point of this conversation. He needed to know and that’s final. So he gathered some courage and spoke

“What are you sorry for?” Kagami’s voice was tiny. He hasn’t talked much ever since he became home bound, only having Alex to talk to when she came home from work late at night. 

That seemed to startle the boy outside his window 

“For everything Taiga. I’m not sorry I left” Okay… that hurt “I couldn’t continue being here, being near you guys everyday when I was feeling like that. But I’m sorry for how I did it. I should’ve just talked it out like Satsuki kept insisting. I should’ve just come up to you and yell in your face, blame you for all my problems. But I knew then that if I did it you’d’ve convinced me to stay. With your lovely smile and those idiot eyebrows of yours-“ “Hey!” “You’d just tell me I was being stupid. And I was. Tetsu made sure he pounded that in me today” He laughs

“He hit you?!” Kagami seems almost proud

“No, of course he didn’t. Just made fun of me” Aomine says with a pout

“Good” Kagami says

“It was nice actually to see the old Tetsu back- hey why the hell do you sound so pleased with yourself, huh?!”

Kagami just laughs. It’s been a while since he felt this way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! This past week as been hectic so I didn't post as often. As an apology, here, 2 chapters in one day! 
> 
> Theres still a taad bit more left so stay tuned~~


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A kind word can mend a broken heart.

They spend hours talking. It’s like old times but at the same time is completely different. Aomine doesn’t push him at all. He just sits calmly outside his window, and just talks. Talks and talks and talks. 

He apologized for leaving. He apologized for being an idiot. And Kagami forgave him. He knows he shouldn’t. Not right away at least. Not right during the first time they speak. Not when they’re not even looking at each other in the face. But he can’t stop his heart. This is the boy he’s loved for the past 3 years, heck for the past 6 years even. Although a bigger poutier version of him.

It’s not all easy of course. Alex does beat him for defying her, if only just a little. It also takes Kagami 3 weeks before he can look Aomine in the face and nearly 3 months before he allows Aomine to go into his home. Before he allows any of his friends to see him again.

He wakes up on Christmas Eve with a dawning realization that today is his last day. It’s the last day that this version of him will exist. Because for better or for worse, he is going to allow not only Aomine, but also Satsuki and Kuroko to come into his house and celebrate. How long has it been really? Making his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth Kagami muses. 3 years since he’s seen Satsuki, year and a half for Kuroko and even though he sees Aomine multiple times a day precariously balancing on the tree branch, its been an eternity really since he’s even touched the boy.

They’ll start filling in at 6pm so he has to start cooking. He already cleaned the house, top to bottom twice. Including Alex’s room, Kagami thinks back with a shudder. He’s also been making some progress. While furiously mixing several yummy smelling ingredients into different shaped pots Kagami thinks back. He still has panic attacks and nightmares but he doesn’t feel as on edge. Does that even make sense? He doesn’t feel like he’s lost anymore. He still doesn’t leave the house, but he can look at Aomine now. He doesn’t need the protection of the curtains anymore. 

He learned about all the places Aomine and Satsuki went to. He learned about how even when they had no money, and where sleeping in a cheap motel in the middle of God knows where, Satsuki still made him learn equations. She say’s math is important for a growing boy. Kagami laughs out loud remembering how sour Aomine’s face had looked.

Aomine also learned. How bad people where to Kagami, when he tells him every detail one tear streaked night. He tells him, through sobs and hiccups, through panic attack after panic attack how bad it’d been, how lost, alone and confused he had felt. Aomine had just sat there, taking it all in. Helped him through every bump, breathing with him and murmuring encouragements. He’d sat there the whole freezing November night telling Kagami how he’d never have to worry again.

A knock on the door startles him from his thoughts. The table is set and the food laid out. Alex had come home an hour before and was getting ready in her room. Slowly making his way to the door, Kagami pauses just out of the kitchen. Can he do this? He can’t. It’s too much. No no no no. Just has he feels he’s breaking down again a voice calls out from the top of the stairs.

“Tiger”

Turning his head he looks at her. At the woman who’s been here for him longer than his own parents have; who at 25 suddenly saw herself the makeshift mother of a 6 year old; the one who’s been here for him through thick and thin. He looks at her encouraging eyes and decides that he can’t disappoint her again. He can’t let this win. So he takes a big gulp of air and goes to open the door.

“Hey babe” 

Aomine’s smiling face is the first to great him. It gives him courage to reach out and pull him in but it also hurts more than anyone can imagine. It hurts because this is the boy who broke his heart 3 years ago. Because in his absence he just shattered to a million pieces. But it also helps. Like a balm on a stinging burn because of how much he wants to prove himself. How much he wants to be regarded by others as “normal”.

He’d told this to Aomine once. That he just wanted to be normal. And Aomine had gone quiet all of a sudden and asked very quietly want he meant by normal. He’d said he just wanted out of there. He just wanted to stop cleaning, and stop worrying, be free of all the guilt that was consuming him and be able to step outside and live free like them. And to his surprise Aomine had yelled at him. He yelled and yelled for what seemed like an eternity. Because Kagami was normal he said. That he shouldn’t feel the least bit guilty. He told him time after time how strong he was. How proud he was of him. And that helped honestly. Even though Kagami still felt like he hadn’t taken a step from the starting line the fact that he was here opening up to his friends proved otherwise.

So despite the trembling hands and the foul taste in his mouth Kagami pulls the bluenette in.

“Hey hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing?! Taiga let go you’re gonna make yourself sick, Taiga!” Aomine struggled in Kagami’s embrace. Looking at the top of the stairs he pleads “Alex help me out here!”

However, instead of Alex’s jabbing comment its Kagami who speaks

“Oh just shut up you big baby” 

The night passed blessedly calm. They ate, laughed, cried and exchanged gifts. Kagami still shied away sometimes if somebody came too close but he was considerably calmer inside the house. They ended up spending the night; the five of them huddled close on the couch, under nice thick blankets. If Satsuki and Kuroko seemed a bit closer than usual neither basketball head noticed.

 

Kagami goes to school in February after the winter break ends. He’d been practicing with Aomine and the gang on leaving the house. After what seemed like an eternity he was able to go out to the front porch without vomiting or running a dangerously high fever from the stress. After a while he was able to go to the mart two streets down and even play basketball at their favorite court. It all seemed so surreal. How fast this was all progressing. But getting whirled in the hurricane that was Aomine Daiki it was easy to become distracted.

However sitting in the passenger’s seat of Aomine’s beat up car it was easy to think this was probably a bite way bigger than he could chew. He looks at the bluenette when he feels a comforting hand squeezing his.

“You don’t have to do this y’know” 

It was weird looking at him. This big oaf of a boy looked like a little kid in his too puffy jacket, adorned with matching gloves and beanie. However his actions were grown up now. He not only gave Kagami immense emotional support through all this as he could also drive. A startling difference from the slightly gangly thirteen year old he knew.

“I know. But I want to” Kagami says now eying the school gate

“I’m right here babe. No matter what”

School had actually been….nice. It was still as boring as he remembered it being but nobody knew him here. A different high school a bit further away from where they went to middle school and had been bullied. If there was anybody who knew him from before here, he didn’t know. He still had panic attacks. All the teachers knew about his condition and allowed him hallway passes for when he was starting to feel like he couldn’t handle it anymore.

But Aomine was there. And Kuroko. And Satsuki. So he didn’t feel as ashamed when during a normal geography class he started feeling like he couldn’t be there anymore. The walls where closing in on him, all his classmates faces turned in his direction. He didn’t want to panic. He wasn’t going to panic. He couldn’t panic. So he started stabbing himself with a pencil. He didn’t bring his elastic so he went for the next best thing. He had read somewhere the pain helped. It helped bring your body out of the shock. 

So he just stabbed himself on his wrist over and over again. Trying to break skin and just have an excuse, a relief from the pain that was threatening to choke him. He feels Kuroko look his way and knows he’s been caught no matter how many reassuring smiles he sends his friends way. Knowing a furious Aomine would be marching his way Kagami just decides it’s best to head to the bathroom. 

There he gets Aomine’s help calming down. At first he hates being touched, like a sizzle on his skin. People need to understand that this is his fault, that it’s his mind that’s giving everybody all this grief. But the more Aomine talks the less he cries. The more Aomine looks his way with a loving stare the less he feels the need to fight. He ends up being cradled to a peaceful lull in the infirmary after Aomine drags him there to clean the mess he’s made of his wrist; calling him names all the way there.

 

They make out for the first time on Kagami’s bed on a nice April day. Aomine had woken up at the ass crack of dawn (so around noon) with Satsuki yelling at him that she’d be out with Kuroko for the day. He tried turning in his bed burrowing under the covers for some nice warm cover, trying to get some more shuteye when a glance out the window let him see that Kagami was already awake. Deciding that he didn’t want to sleep alone anymore, Aomine trudged his way out his bed, through the window and across the tree. With still blurry eyes, he made his way inside Kagami’s bedroom startling the poor boy who'd been lying on his bed reading.

“Daiki, Jesus Christ you scared the hell out of me!” He yells almost jumping out of his skin. Putting down his book on his nightstand he looks at the bluenette “Why are you just standing there? C’mere”

Aomine humpfs and makes his way to the bed. Plopping his knees on the bedspread he crawls his way towards Kagami, bleary eyes making him lose focus and miss Kagami’s amused face.

He gets under the blankets and pulls Kagami until they’re both lying down, untwined in each other. 

“You know I woke up hours ago right?”

“Don care…. Sleep” Burying his face in Kagami’s collarbones Aomine drifts off.

He startles himself awake about an hour later, head now pillowed on the slightly shorter boy’s chest. He’s so confortable, he could just burrow in Kagami’s warmth and live there forever. He peaks at the other boys sleeping face and wonders. His full lips, now slightly open due to sleep, look so kissable. His strong arms, that Aomine used to hold every time panic ran through the boy, are now around him, holding Aomine tight against his body.

So Aomine decides he doesn’t care anymore. That he’s waited long enough and that if Kagami is still not ready he can just kick his ass back home. He positions himself on top of Kagami, who harrumphs awake due to the sudden added weight on his chest and kisses him. He sees Kagami’s eyes flying open before he screws his tightly shut.  
Its not his first kiss but he’s so nervous he feels he’s gonna throw up. He wants to like this, he wants Kagami to like this, he just needs this boy in his life, he’s wishing so bad that when Kagami separates their faces he feels like he’s gonna die. He’s already getting up, excuses on the tip of his tongue when Kagami pulls him in and flips them over. Needless to say that Aomine liked it. He liked it very much.

 

The rendezvous with Haizaki happens not even three weeks after that. Kagami is already in the basketball team alongside all his friends. The team loved him, the senpais were nice and he had never played better. He was still scrapping by on his classes, but he now ate out often with the newly out Kuroko and Sastuki couple, much despite Aomine’s whines of “YOU’VE BEEN DATING SINCE BEFORE WE LEFT AND I HAD NO IDEA?!!!” and his relationship with Aomine was better than ever.

So seeing his former tormentor during a match was like the world had just pulled the carpet from under his feet. They barely got the chance to talk, Aomine barreling his way to the shorter boy immediately initiating a fight. That earned him a three-day suspension from school and a week long stint in the hospital. 

When Kagami goes to visit, bright and early, the day after Aomine has been admitted he looks at his boyfriend's broken face. He’s all black and blue, one eye nearly closed shut but he still smiles reassuringly at Kagami, whining about how crappy the food is. 

The day before, after Kagami, Kuroko and 2 other boys from the basketball club had wrenched Aomine away from Haizaiki’s beaten body, the bluenette had said it had been worth it. Now, looking at this mischievous angel, arm to his chest, face all battered, Kagami understands. The punch he had delivered to Haizaki after they carted Aomine away had also been totally worth it. 

So he doesn’t think much of it when his shoes disappear from his locker one day. Or when his clothes were found all wet inside a garbage bin after basketball practice. He only fears when the text messages start coming. Annoying little petty threats of “why are you even here?”, “Aomine’s so much better than you” and “Go die”. He doesn’t tell anybody. It’s his problem. He’s not afraid anymore. He now understands that he has people who support him and who are never ever letting go no matter what he does to them.

So he’s sneaky with his recently used phone and is constantly looking around whenever they’re out just in case anybody comes out to get them. He’s not gonna let anybody mess with them again.

That’s why he’s so broken when he wakes up one day and Aomine is nowhere to be found. All his stuff that was in Kagami’s room isn’t there anymore, and his phone is unreachable. He left…Kagami can barely believe this. Just like three years ago, Aomine makes himself confortable in Kagami’s heart and then disappears. It’s not fucking fair. So instead of being sad and broken like last time, Kagami gets angry. He furiously puts on his clothes and stalks out of his room. If Aomine isn’t going to show himself, Kagami will just have to dig him out. 

But first he needs to go and confront whomever the fuck is threatening him. The added fury from Aomine’s disappearance is just fueling him to walk faster and faster towards the dinner where they’d agreed to meet.

He got there lightning fast but immediately wanted to leave. It was too much. Apparently the tormenters this time where some scrawny girls he thinks he’s seen hanging around the club during break. But what really breaks his heart is the fact that not only Kuroko and Satsuki were there but also that Aomine had gone behind his back and went alone.

There’s sudden movement inside and Kagami sees Aomine get up, stalking his way towards one of the girls. He sees him making wild gestures at her, throwing his hands out pulling his hair. A telltale sign of frustration. 

Suddenly Kuroko looks his way and everything’s ruined. He sees his friend alert Aomine of his presence and he runs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kagami and Aomine's story is sloowly coming to an end. Next chapter will be the decisive one! Don't miss out!


	7. Chapter 7

“Kagami! Fuck! Wait up!”

He just flees. He runs and runs has fast has his feet can carry him. He barrels through the pedestrians and doesn’t dare to look back. He knows that if he does he’ll have to look at Aomine. So he runs, worming through the crowd ignoring all the weird looks he’s getting. It’s just him right now. Him and the thwacking sound his sneakers make hitting the pavement below him; his fast breathing, the sweat running down his face, the thumping of his heart. 

Coming to a screeching halt right at his front door Kagami frantically looks around to see if he’s not being followed. Not like Aomine wont come anyways, seeing as the guy lives right next door but that’s not important right now. Not when his hands tremble so much he nearly drops his keys twice in the rush to go inside. Finally managing to unlock the door, Kagami bolts to his room locking himself in. 

“Im fine. I made it. I….did it…I’m fine”. Slumping against his bedroom wall Kagami yells out his frustrations to the empty room in front of him. Looking around at all the photos, all the basketball prizes and random posters that adorn his blue walls Kagami buries his face in his hands and weeps. He weeps and weeps for what seem like hours, days. Curled up in a ball, knees to his chest he feels safe. Here nobody can hurt him. Here in his little blue haven he’s safe from the hurt, the stares, and the whispers. Right now only here feels like he can breathe.

Suddenly he hears a car screeching to a halt. Jolted out of his stupor Kagami quickly wipes his face on the sleeve of his shirt while scrambling to lock the window and throw the blinds. 

“Kagami!!! Kagami I know you’re in there!!” Aomine screams from the bottom of the tree. “Kagami please I need to explain! It’s not what you-" Fuck even to me that sounds stupid.” Kicking a tree root that was near to his feet Aomine paces. He knows he could just climb up the tree and force his way inside Kagami’s room. It’d involve breaking a window but oh well, what’s new really. 

After pacing for a good five minutes Aomine calms down. The breeze gently ruffles the hair his been pulling at while pacing. He must seem like he’s lost it. In a little while the neighbors will call his parents to try and reign in they’re wild son. Or they’ll call the police. Wouldn’t be the first time really. Looking up at the top of the tree Aomine sighs and lowers down to sit on the soft grass below. He’s trying to respect Kagami’s whishes but right now there’s too much at stake.

Suddenly Aomine hears a bark and the next thing he knows he has a face full of black and white fur.

“Nigou ahah…stop…you’re slobbering me stop” Aomine says while prying the dog from his face

“Aomine-kun you could at least have given us a ride” says a slightly out of breath Kuroko. 

“Dai-chan so mean” Satsuki whines while bending over, her hands on her knees trying to gulp some fresh air. 

The couple looks disheveled. “Fuck they must have run all the way over here” Shit. Aomine thinks to himself. Kuroko has lowered himself to the grass; his green army jacket is thrown haphazardly over his shoulders chest heaving like a freight train. Even Satsuki looks like she’s ran the marathon, her slick ponytail now transformed into an indescribable mess of pink hair while she wipes down the sweat beading on her forehead with the ends of her soft blouse. He’s the cause of all of this. He’s the reason for Kuroko and Satsuki’s disheveled look. But the worst of it all?

He’s the reason for the devastated look on Kagami’s face. He fucking promised, promised Kagami, and promised God himself that he would permanently erase that look from his boyfriends face. Some boyfriend he is.

Slowly bringing his knees to his chest, Aomine hugs Nigou’s soft body. 

“What was all that Aomine-kun? Who the hell was that girl?”

Satsuki gasps….”Testu-kun just…” “No Satsuki-san no more. We’ve been patient enough. No more secrets, no more lies, no more sneaking around. You are going to tell us why my best friend just looked like death itself and you’re going to explain it right now” Kuroko says aggressively.

For such a calm guy Kuroko can be evil scary, Aomine muses. He takes in Satsuki’s sympathetic eye and Kuroko’s burning gaze and sighs. Resting his cheek on top of Nigou’s back he looks Kuroko in the eye.

“Remember that weird text Kagami received last Wednesday?”

Kuroko’s angry face morphs into one of confusion “That unknown number?”

“Yup”

“I remember. What of it?” 

“Tetsu-kun, be nice.” Satsuki says chidingly while lowering herself to the ground next to her boyfriend. 

“When we where in bed yesterday-“ “Dai-chan too much information!” “he received a text again. He pretended not to be alarmed when he saw it but I could tell he started trembling. He laughed it off when I asked saying it was spam and excused himself to the bathroom. He thinks I don’t know his pin number but please anybody can tell it’s my birthday” he says with a smirk while Kuroko just rolls his eyes “So I sneaked into his phone and opened the message. It was a photo Kuroko. A fucking photo of the two of us kissing under the bleachers after Friday’s game. I made him do it. I know he’s not out to the school yet, I know he’s not confortable with pda, hell you saw how he fucking tensed up when I put my arm over his shoulder that night at the training camp. But I did it anyway cause we won. We fucking won the fucking game, our performance was so slick I was ecstatic. And I just wanted to share it with him. I just wanted him to feel how happy I was. For me, for him, for the team. Everybody was so busy celebrating so I just went for it…”

“But somebody saw you” Kuroko says soflty.

“I swear to you Tetsu I didn’t see a soul there. I wouldn’t risk it. Took me too long to get Kagami to come out of that freaking room to see him retreat to it all over again” He spat out angrily. 

Nigou startles and leaves Aomine’s lap leaving him free to stand up and pace around. Hand’s pulling at his hair, what Kuroko knew was a nervous tick from his childhood he could never quite shake off, the shirt around his waist slowly unraveling towards the ground where his boots dig up little tuffs of green.

“So what did the message say Dai-chan?” 

“It said that if Kagami didn’t want that photo to be all over the school come Monday morning he had to go meet up whoever it is today at the diner at 5pm”

“So you thought it’d be a great idea if you’d go instead of him. Act as his shield.” Kuroko says without missing a beat

“Exactly!! You get it Tetsu! That way he could just-“

“Do you think Kagami-kun needs a savior Aomine-kun? Do you really find him so weak that he can’t even defend himself or the ones he loves? Are you saying he’s not capable of standing up for himself without you being there to hold his hand?!” Kuroko stands up from his spot on the grass walking nearly making Satsuki topple over with the suddenness of his actions. He marches over to where Aomine is now standing watching him, eyes unblinking.

“No, I never said any of that, I just-“

“You just what Aomine-kun? You haven’t been here long enough to know. What do you think Aomine-kun? That just by coming back everything will be all right again? Like you haven’t been gone? Like you haven’t thrown me and Kagami-kun away when all we wanted was too help you?!”

“Tetsu-kun please-“

“No. Satsuki-san forgive me but no. This has been dragging for too long. You were the one who was sick of us remember? You were the one who lefts us behind spouting shit like “The only one who can beat me is me” and “Your light is too dim”. Admit it, you were fucking scared!” Satsuki’s gasp can be heard in the background “You were scared how good me and Kagami-kun were becoming, how in sync we were and it scared you! That we would be the one’s leaving you behind!”

“And what if I was?! The well with this all Tetsu. I came back! I said I was fucking sorry and I came back. We had this conversation a long time ago! I made it good. I patched up. He can leave the fucking room now without being scared of his own shadow. I beat up fucking Haizaki and his fucking crew and they can never get him again. And if I beat them up once I can fucking beat them up again. That’s why I went today. No matter how fucking brave he thinks he his I’m never going to allow anybody to put that scared look on his face. Not even me…”

“Testu-kun…” Satsuki rests her hand on her boyfriends shoulder and gently nudges him out of the way. Kuroko lets himself be pushed and puffs out a big breath of air. Satsuki gently puts her hands on Aomine’s face raising it so their eyes could meet.

“Dai-chan….Dai-chan look at me” she speaks softly

“What now? Annoying woman”

“Dai-chan, I know you meant well. You weren’t the only one who left” Kuroko grumbles and is promptly shushed “I understood why you did what you did and I supported you because it seemed right at the time. You needed to grow and that wouldn’t happen if you had stayed here harboring those feelings. However I don’t support you now. I know once more why you felt the need to go alone. That you wanted to protect Kagamin from any pain that may come. But the way you did it? Packing your bag from Kagamin’s room, leaving the bed without a trace, not answering your phone and then suddenly being caught in that diner with a girl? How do you think Kagamin felt Dai-chan? Not because of the girl, anybody with a pair of eyes could see how gay you are for Kagamin, but you left again. Without a trace you just disappeared and we had to spend all morning running around the city with a barely breathing Kagamin”

Aomine slowly let the words sink in. “I’m such an asshole” he mused.

“Took you long enough” Kuroko says

“Hey Tetsu no fair” Whining Aomine stretches up and looks them both in the eye

“I’m sorry ok. I fucked up. I keep fucking up. But I’ll make it all good. Believe me”

“You planning on climbing up the tree and breaking Kagami-kun’s window?”

“Nope. I’m staying right here. Let him come to me whenever that his. Take Satsuki somewhere nice will ya Tetsu?” Aomine pleads

Kuroko knows it’s just for show. He knows he needs the time alone to rethink everything that was said this afternoon. He decides to let it go

“We’ll come back later. Take care Aomine-kun. Let’s go Sastuki-san” 

“Everything will be okay Dai-chan”

Aomine sees his friend’s form slowly fading away in the distance, dog in tow. He fucked up royally, he thinks while letting out a small laugh. “I just undid everything I managed to get until now. Great job Daiki, a truly fan fucking tastic job. Slumping against the tree and slowly sliding towards the ground, Aomine just looks around. Its getting chilly now that the sun is setting even though is well into June already. He muses getting up really quick and grabbing a blanket from his room just next door but that would be meaningless wouldn’t it. So he just stays there, curled around himself in search for warmth. 

A few hours later a knock startles Kagami from his thoughts.

“Taiga, you do know that Daiki’s sleeping outside right?” Alex’s voice drifts through the door

“Yeah right” Kagami doesn't even look up from his book

“Taiga I don’t know what happened but maybe give him another chance? I know it might be one too many and look this is me talking, but the poor boy is going to catch a cold if he doesn’t go inside sometime soon. Just talk to him okay, tiger?”

Kagami just dismisses Alex’s words. They’ve been good enough together that if Aomine really wanted to talk to him he’d just come inside and yell. Kagami hasn’t had a freaking panic attack in close to 2 months and he’s not skittish around people anymore. So why the hell wouldn’t Aomine just march right in?!

A few hours pass and he still didn’t get up to check. It’s now close to midnight, Kagami making his way to close the window when he suddenly sees a lump on the foot of the tree. There’s no way, no freaking way Daiki is sleeping outs—OMG, he is. Omg omg omg. Now, it’s his time to freak out. He bursts through the door of his room, newfound confidence surging through his bloodstream and nearly ramming over Alex in the process.

“Don’t wait up!” he yells while going down the stairs 

“Go get’em Tiger” Alex says softly resting her body against the doorjamb.

He runs. Again. It seems to Kagami that he’s spent half his life running. After his parents before they left, after Aomine before he too left, from Aomine at the diner, and now back to him again. Maybe Aomine’s the problem. He doesn’t have time to go deep into his musings cause all of a sudden he’s outside standing in front of a deeply sound a sleep Aomine. He crouches in front of him and softly brushes aside a few strands of silky blue hair that have rebelled from the mass of blue locks.

“Only in his sleep he doesn’t look like grumpy cat. If only he could stay like this all the time” Letting his hand caress the soft chocolate skin Kagami suddenly startles when Aomine grumbles and nuzzles his cheek in the redhead’s hand. With a soft laugh he gently shakes Aomine awake.

“Daiki…Daiki cmon…you can’t sleep here”

“hmmmm, wha?? Im waiting for Taiga, Tetsu just go home”

“Oh, so Kuroko has a habit of caressing you when I’m not around now has he?”

“No! What are you talk-“Aomine is suddenly very awake and facing Kagami’s soft smile. “Taiga, I-“ Aomine grabs the hand previously caressing his cheek “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize, I’m an idiot, you see I checked…”

“It’s okay. Come on inside it’s cold out here. We’ll talk more once you’ve warmed up”

Aomine lets himself be guided inside by Kagami’s strong but gentle pull.

They passed by Alex who was busy watching the new idols on tv. They reach Kagami’s room and Aomine suddenly feels very nervous. “What if he doesn’t want me in here anymore? What if I did some major damage again and Kagami’s agoraphobia came back? What if-“

“Are you gonna come in or you’d rather stand there the rest of the night?”

“Smart-ass”

“Asshole”

“Idiot”

“Not bigger than you”

Touché

Aomine sits on the bed, legs curled under him eyes not quite meeting Kagami’s gaze.

“Now care to tell me who was that girl and why the fuck did you think going alone was a smart idea?”

“Look, you can bullshit me all you want, I saw how fucking scared you were when you looked at that message. I fucking now you thought it was Haizaki again and I’m fucking certain you threw up before I fished you out of the bathroom. You’ve been skittish the whole week, looking around like you murdered somebody and were just waiting for the cops to bring you in. I could tell all the signs of your agoraphobia coming back. You were throwing up more often when you had completely stopped; you could barely sit in class for more than an hour without being excused. Your wrist was bearing the marks of the snapping elastic again and I had to physically manhandle you out the door for school on Friday!”

“That has nothing to do with it!” 

Aomine grunts disgustingly.

“You were not the cause of my problems Daiki. Yes I crumbled after you left but that’s entirely my fault. I wasn’t strong enough. I let the memory of you and what I thought we had going lead me somewhere I really didn’t want to go. I let fucking Haizaki make me his plaything just because he was bored. But I didn’t get better because of you. You helped yes. Like a balm on a sore wound. But I got better for me, because I wanted to stand next to you, feel your light, and bathe in it. I wanted to hold your hand, beat you in basketball and scream to the world that you’re mine. That’s why I beat this. That’s why im trying so hard to stand up on my own two feet and you had to go and play knight in shinning armor!”

“I wasn’t gonna let anybody hurt you anymore!”

“What if it had been Haizaki again you idiot?!”

“I beat the crap out of him once, I would do it again”

“And that landed you in the hospital for a week! No way in hell, Daiki am I going to allow that again.” Kagami says while thwacking Aomine upside the head.

“Auch. Don’t be mean” he pouts

“I am whatever I want to be. Now spit it out. Who was that girl?”

“It had nothing to do with Haizaki if you had let me explain at the diner instead of just run-“ Another thwack “ Taiga, I’m going to kill you” Aomine growls

“Tell me that when you top, now you where saying?”

Aomine’s blush spreads all the way to his ears.

“It was just some girls in the fucking basketball fanclub. They wanted to tear us apart and some shit like that. Not that they ever succeed but they thought that if they exposed us to the school and post our picture everywhere we’d cower in shame and would have to break up. I know you’re not out so I was just yelling at her to delete th-“ “Let her post it then” “photo because I knew you’d be upset but then you came in and… I’m sorry Taiga what?”

“I said let her post it. I’m done with being on the sidelines while everybody just waltzes in and sits on your lap like its their fucking place to be. I’m not afraid anymore. I am who I am. I have you and Alex, Kuroko and Satsuki and the team and I know that no matter how fucked up the world becomes in the end of the day I have you guys here. So that being said, let her post it”

Aomine’s jaw has by this time certainly hit the floor. Here he is, sitting in bed with his gorgeous ass boyfriend who used to have a panic attack if he’d so much reach within a foot from his window but who now is a confident piece of ass who is looking at him with the brightest smile Aomine has ever seen in his life. Lying back in bed, Aomine throws an arm over his eyes

“So all of this was for nothing? All the yelling and the running and the fucking ache I felt in my gut these past few days where for nothing?”

“No, not for nothing”

Aomine peeks from behind his arm when he feels his boyfriend move on top of him. Before he can hide properly he suddenly realizes Kagami took a picture. 

“What the hell are you doing Taiga?! Gimme that!”

Rolling around to the other side while protecting his phone Kagami quickly uploads the photo on to facebook

“What have you just done?” Aomine grumbles

“What I should have done a long long time ago” 

Kagami rolls back around and covers Aomine’s body with his. He shuts his bluenette boyfriend up by kissing him a few thousand times, feeling stronger and more confident than ever.

 

The next morning, after prying himself from under Kagami’s arm Aomine reaches for his phone. He logs in to Facebook to see his own profile blowing up like the black Friday sales. Thousands of comments, likes and reactions are adorning the simple photo of the both of them. Its nothing much, just them lying in bed, Kagami’s brilliant smile and Aomine’s too bright face peeking out from under his arm being the main focus of the deal. But what he can’t take his eyes away from are the simple 6 words written in the comment box: “I’m marrying this boy one day”.

Aomine gawks from his phone to his boyfriend softly snoring next to him. He might have just lost his mind. He looks again, boyfriend to phone. Decides to pinch himself. Yup, it’s real. 

Aomine lays back down burring in Kagami’s warmth. He pulls Kagami’s arm back over himself and adjusts the angle. Kagami grumbles a little but goes back to sleep not interested in what the bluenette was up too. He angles his phone and takes a picture. Quickly uploading it to Facebook, Aomine puts down his phone and reaches out, face buried in Kagami’s collarbones, felling like finally everything was all right in the world.

The photo had over one hundred “likes” in less than 5 minutes. It simply said: The only one who can have him is me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we have come to an end! I hope you've liked Aomine and Kagami's story up until now!  
> Thank you for reading~~

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first fanfiction ever so I'm sorry for any mistakes that it might contain.
> 
> This might be a bit of a sensitive subject for some people as I speak a little about agoraphobia, anxiety, panic attacks, homosexuality denial and more. I tried my best to portray this as fair and accurate possible though it might not be the case. If so I'm very sorry and I'll do my best to improve.
> 
> Despite any mistakes I hope you enjoy reading!
> 
> Leave your thoughts on a comment or give a kudos! 
> 
> Thankyou~~


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